Michelsen, Johann "John" Eberhard

Johann "John" Eberhard Michelsen - age: 82
(October 18, 1929 to April 28, 2012 )
Resident of Ukiah, California

Obituary:
Johann Eberhard Michelsen (John) was born on October 18, 1929 in Fort Wayne Indiana to Guenther Eberhard and Edith Michelsen. He survived a childhood and early adolescence in World War II Berlin. In the immediate aftermath of the war he worked for the US Army and learned to drive a Jeep. He was repatriated to the United States at age 16 in 1946, with his younger brother, Claus, living on their own at the Fort Wayne YMCA. He supported his destitute family in Germany by working at an A&P supermarket and sending his earnings to them in the form of cigarettes and coffee, the most liquid forms of currency in post-war Berlin.


He served in the United States Marines during the Korean War and attended the Indiana Institute of Technology, training as an electrical engineer. He married the love of his life, Mary Ann Schroeder, in 1955 and they settled in Southern California where they raised 4 children and he worked for Lockheed Aircraft for more than thirty years. He was proud of his work as a lead engineer on the Lockheed L1011 passenger plane, and occasional forays inside the legendary “Skunk Works”. He earned an MBA from Pepperdine University in 1970.
John was a life long member of the Lutheran Church and held numerous officer positions.
He retired to Ukiah in 1991 to be near his children. John and Mary Ann built a beautiful house above Lake Mendocino at about the same time as they found out that he had Parkinson's disease. Despite his diagnosis they continued to be active in the church and take numerous trips around the world.


He always enjoyed the outdoors and was an early member of the Sierra Club, enjoying mountaineering expeditions with the legendary Norman Clyde. His children remember epic family camping trips. He was most proud of his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.


He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Ann
His son Paul Michelsen and his wife Holly Hauptli of Potter Valley and their children Paloma and Martin
His daughter Katherine Nardoni and her husband Joseph of Lowell, Massachusetts and their children Elizabeth Martens, James Rising and Terrence Nardoni and Elizabeth's husband Ric and their children , Serene, Jasmine, and Jade
His son Carl and his wife Mary Fitch of Sebastopol and their children Hanna, Matthew and Patrick
His daughter Heidi Michelsen of San Jose, Costa Rica and her son Johann


His sisters Ingrid Gensicke of Padthaway, South Australia, Gisela Helbig of Balladonia, Queensland Australia, Marianne Glutz of Figtree, New South Wales, Australia, and Margret Bayha of Clare, South Australia
His brothers Claus Michelsen of Irvine, CA and Walter Michelsen of Bordertown, South Australia


and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.


He was proceeded in death by his parents Gunther Eberhard and Edith Olga and by his son-in-law James R. Rising


The family would like to thank the staff at Ukiah Health Care for their loving and professional care of John in his last weeks, and Tess for her care and friendship over the last year.


Family and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service at Grace Lutheran Church, 200 Wabash Street in Ukiah on Wednesday, May 2 at 10AM.
Memorial Donations may be made to Grace Lutheran Church